January 2022: Let’s get Organized!

Let’s start the year organized!

January 1^st – First day to fund traditional IRAs, Roth IRAs and SEP IRAs (for self-employed and small business owners) for the current year
January 18^th – Your 4th quarter 2021 estimated taxes are due!
January 31^st – Your employer is required to send out W-2s and 1099s for 2021.

Revisit your budget (spending plan) or create a new one. January is a great month to assess spending and determine if an adjustment will help you meet your financial goals.

Here are some suggestions to get organized.

1. Sort Mail as Soon as it Arrives

Toss junk mail.
Shred sensitive documents.
Separate out bills and keep them all in one place, such as in a basket or tray.
File away any documents that you need to keep.

Create A Filing System

Use a filing cabinet or electronic system. Either is fine as long as you use it and it gives you quick, consistent
access to information.
If using a filing cabinet, consider labeling 4 drawers: Tax and Legal, Medical, Household, Financial
If using an electronic system, create master folders, similar to the four cabinet drawers with subfolders (for
example, under Financial Information, you would have subfolders for each bank, credit card and broker
account).
Shred receipts you do not need, especially those that include a barcode.
Keep your pay stubs until you receive a W-2. Also, keep the last paystub of the year as there could be useful
information to prepare your tax return (e.g. donations made or dues paid).
Keep tax-related documents separate, so you have them together at year-end (eg. donation receipts, medical bills, taxes paid, sale of stocks, 1099s, 1098s, etc. Remember most pharmacies can provide you with a yearly report of the out-of-pocket costs you paid for your prescriptions, so you don’t need to keep individual receipts).
Keep business or rental property related documents separate.